Advanced product quality planning is a framework of procedures and techniques used to develop
products in industry, particularly the automotive industry.
It is quite similar to the concept of Design for Six Sigma.
It is a defined process for a product development system for General Motors, Ford, Chrysler
and their suppliers.
According to the Automotive Industry Action Group, the purpose of APQP is "to produce
a product quality plan which will support development of a product or service that will
satisfy the customer."
The process is described in the AIAG manual, www.aiag.org or 248-358-3003.
History Advanced product quality planning is a process
developed in the late 1980s by a commission of experts gathered from the 'Big Three' US
automobile manufacturers: Ford, GM and Chrysler.
This commission invested five years to analyze the then-current automotive development and
production status in the US, Europe and especially in Japan.
At the time, the success of the Japanese automotive companies was starting to be remarkable in
the US market.
APQP is utilized today by these three companies and some affiliates.
Tier 1 suppliers are typically required to follow APQP procedures and techniques and
are also typically required to be audited and registered to ISO/TS 16949.
This methodology is now being used in other manufacturing sectors as well.
The basis for the make-up of a process control plan is included in the APQP manual.
The APQP process is defined in the AIAG's APQP manual, which is part of a series of
interrelated documents that the AIAG controls and publishes.
These manuals include: The failure mode and effects analysis manual
The statistical process control manual The measurement systems analysis manual
The production part approval process manual The Automotive Industry Action Group is a
non-profit association of automotive companies founded in 1982.
Main content of APQP APQP serves as a guide in the development
process and also a standard way to share results between suppliers and automotive companies.
APQP specifies three phases: Development, Industrialization and Product Launch.
Through these phases 23 main topics will be monitored.
These 23 topics will be all completed before the production is started.
They cover such aspects as: design robustness, design testing and specification compliance,
production process design, quality inspection standards, process capability, production
capacity, product packaging, product testing and operator training plan, among other items.
APQP focuses on: Up-front quality planning
Determining if customers are satisfied by evaluating the output and supporting continual
improvement APQP consists of five phases:
Plan and Define Program Product Design and Development Verification
Process Design and Development Verification Product and Process Validation and Production
Feedback Launch, Assessment & Corrective Action
There are five major activities: Planning
Product Design and Development Process Design and Development
Product and Process Validation Production
The APQP process has seven major elements: Understanding the needs of the customer
Proactive feedback and corrective action Designing within the process capabilities
Analyzing and mitigating failure modes Verification and validation
Design reviews Control special / critical characteristics.
See also ISO/TS 16949
QS9000 PFMEA
References
External links